Grace Barrett has arrived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a chip on her shoulder and some bad luck behind her. So she hopes! Her great-aunt has offered Grace a place to stay until she gets back on her feet and decides what to do about her future. All Grace knows right now is she has to shake the Hollywood off her feet and somehow, move forward.

Cowboy Cole Rawlins is as unsure about his future as Grace is about hers. After sustaining a bad injury, he may never ride a horse again and that is a future Cole cannot accept. He is very intrigued by purple-haired Grace and wants to get to know her better. She does not want any entanglements but perhaps, all she needs is a little bit of persuasion. While they are getting to know each other, Hollywood comes calling and it may just ruin their burgeoning relationship.

Victoria Dahl is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers because her characters are so real and visceral. You truly do feel the pain Grace feels because of her past mistakes and you empathize with Cole’s desire to get back on a horse and feel like himself again. Jackson Hole also comes alive with a varied populace that for once, does not border on small town cutesy which too many romances novels fall into. These are real people working hard and trying their best in this town. Grace has to prove to these people that she is not the past she left behind in Hollywood and that she is not trouble. It is not easy for her to let go with Cole, to trust him. These characters are both damaged in their own way and that makes their eventual blossoming love that much sweeter. CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH is an interesting offering from Victoria Dahl.